Stefanos Tsitsipas has opened up on the advice he received from Rafael Nadal during the Laver Cup in 2019.
Speaking on Twitter the day after the Spaniard’s history-making Australian Open win, Tsitsipas revealed that Nadal had offered him some advice that changed his outlook on relationships with fellow players.
“Laver Cup 2019 when I happened to be in the same team with Rafael Nadal and I asked him something and he asked me ‘what does make you happy?’,” the 23-year-old revealed.
“And I thought, oh actuality, go for whatever makes you happy.”
“laver cup 2019 when i happened to be in the same team with Rafael Nadal and i asked him something and he asked me “what does make you happy?” and i thought, oh actuality, go for whatever makes you happy” https://t.co/kfx3UskRja
Tsitsipas admitted this comment changed the way he interacted with fellow players on tour, including some of his rivals.
“I’ve certainly tried a lot this year to be more open and be more kind with my peers and my competitors,” Tsitsipas said.
The Greek then added that some players still “annoyed” him because of their bad attitude, but he’s learnt to prioritise his happiness above everything else.
Rafael Nadal (left) and Stefanos Tsitsipas (right).
“I give them zero attention because they don’t deserve any attention for pretending to be someone they are not…” he said.
Tsitsipas and Nadal were both part of Team Europe for the 2019 Laver Cup, held in Geneva, Switzerland, and played doubles together on day two of the event.
They lost to Team World’s Nick Kyrgios and Jack Sock in a first-to-ten-point match tiebreak.
Greece has sent five athletes to Beijing this year as China’s capital gears up to host the Winter Olympics from February 4 to February 20.
The Greek team consists of Maria Danou (cross country skiing), Ioannis Antoniou (slalom), Maria-Eleni Tsiovolou (alpine skiing), Nefeli Tita and Apostolos Angelis (cross-country skiing).
The athletes left Greece on Sunday and are now preparing to lead all the athletic teams at the opening ceremony of the Games on Friday.
Danou and Antoniou, who was the first torchbearer of the Olympic Flame for the 2022 Games, will be carrying the Greek national flag during the opening ceremony.
This year’s Games in Beijing have been the subject to diplomatic boycotts from the United States, Australia, the United Kingdom and Canada over China’s human rights record, including its treatment of Muslim minorities in Xinjiang.
The COVID-19 pandemic has also resulted in the implementation of health and safety protocols, and restrictions on public attendance of the Games.
The President of the Hellenic Olympic Committee (HOC), Spyros Capralos, has said he is confident organisers will create a safe and successful Games.
The bodies of 12 migrants who froze to death were found near Turkey’s border with Greece, the Turkish Interior Minister said on Wednesday.
In a tweet, Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said that those who had died were found near the Ipsala border crossing “without shoes and stripped of their clothes,” and had been among 22 people allegedly pushed back into Turkey by Greek border guards.
The minister didn’t provide further details, but shared blurred photographs of eight of the recovered bodies, including three in shorts and T-shirts.
Greece has long denied Turkish claims that its forces push migrants back into Turkey, or sink migrant boats at sea.
On Wednesday, Migration Minister Notis Mitarakis dismissed Soylu’s remarks as “false propaganda,” saying Turkey needed to do more to prevent migrants from setting off from there.
“These migrants never made it to the border,” Mitarakis said in a statement. “Any suggestion that they did, or indeed were pushed back into Turkey, is utter nonsense.”
Mitarakis accused Turkey of failing to prevent migrants from approaching the border area and undertaking “these dangerous journeys.”
The deaths of 12 migrants on the Turkish border near Ipsala is a tragedy. Any suggestion that they were pushed back into Turkey is patently false. pic.twitter.com/X2YoROekHg
— Νότης Μηταράκης – Notis Mitarachi (@nmitarakis) February 2, 2022
“Instead of accusing others, Turkey should assume its responsibilities if we want to prevent such tragedies from occurring again,” Mitarakis said.
The International Organisation for Migration said it was “horrified” by the reported deaths and that it would follow up the incident with the relevant authorities.
Greece is one of the main routes into the European Union for migrants and refugees from Africa, the Middle East and beyond, though the flow has tapered off since 2015-2016 when more than a million people traversed the country to other EU states.
Police in Thessaloniki arrested on Wednesday a suspect in connection with the murder of 19-year-old, Alkis Kambanos, in the city’s eastern district of Harilaou.
Early reports identified the suspect as a 22-year-old man of Albanian origin.
According to Ekathimerini, the suspect is a member of the Palaion Patron Germanou Street PAOK fan club and has a history of violence-related offenses, including charges of assault with a bladed weapon in 2019 near the scene of the murder.
He was one of three individuals detained after a police operation on Tuesday and will appear before a city prosecutor Thursday.
The arrest came after a video showing the suspects fleeing the scene of the murder was released by Greek news website thestival.gr. The footage shows the suspects running to two stopped cars that were waiting for the perpetrators to escape the area.
Alkis Kambanos, along with two friends, were intercepted and attacked on the street in Harilaou around 1 am on Tuesday.
The 19-year-old bled to death after being stabbed in the upper thigh. The other two are being treated for multiple injuries at the Papanikolaou Hospital. Reported to be in good health, the two are expected to be discharged from the hospital on Thursday.
News of Kambanos’ death has shocked Greece with many paying tribute to him.
Fans of Thessaloniki side, Aris FC, hoisted banners paying tribute to Kambanos in their home grounds, two days after the student was murdered.
The banners went up in Kleanthis Vikelidis Stadium shortly before a scheduled match with visiting Athens side AEK.
“Words are unnecessary. Rest in peace, Alkis. You were taken in a cowardly and unjust way. May your soul be our guide,” the banner stated.
People paid tribute to Alkis. Photo: InTime News.
Both sides held a minute’s silence before the game and laid wreaths.
Earlier, Aris players laid a jersey displaying the number 19 at the spot where the young man was killed.
Greece’e President, Katerina Sakellaropoulou, also released a statement on social media on Wednesday calling the murder a “brutal act.”
“How can we tolerate our streets, our parks, and our squares becoming the setting of violence between rival gangs, endangering the lives of citizens?” Sakellaropoulou asked.
“And more importantly, how did violence become the only form of expression for a group of young people with issues of social inclusion, sentiments of marginalisation, extremely negative perceptions, and fears of a cancelled future?
“…Let the brutal act in Thessaloniki, that cost the life of a young person and injured two more, not become just one more incident in the ongoing transformation of social life into an arena of rivalry, bigotry, enmity, and ultimately, lethal inhumanity.”
In a tweet after the arrest, Citizens’ Protection Minister, Takis Theodorikakos, said that Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, had also been informed of the latest developments, while vowing that the authorities remain committed to holding perpetrators accountable under law.
If you take one look at Detective Superintendent Mick Calatzis’ police hat, you can instantly tell he has over 38 years’ experience in policing. Over time, the white wreath emblazoned on his hat has turned golden, earning him the nickname ‘The Golden Greek’ for his dedication and distinguished police service to the Australian community.
But of course, this recognition didn’t come easy for Supt. Calatzis.
Born in Melbourne to Greek migrants, Supt. Calatzis’ family moved to Greece when he was five years old before returning to Perth in Western Australia a year later. Once there, he helped his parents in their fish and chip shop, while also going to school with limited English and dealing with ‘a lot of racism and indifference.’
Eventually, he made the decision to apply to join the WA Police.
The wreath of Supt. Calatzis’ hat has turned gold over time.
“It was pure accident. You know how most people go ‘I always wanted to be a cop’? For me it was the opposite. I was very devoted to my family’s business prospects… but the bottom line is that the succession plan was too dramatic so I just had to revise my life again,” Supt. Calatzis tells The Greek Herald exclusively.
“So I applied for the WA Police, I just made a decision. I suppose I had a romantic notion about it because I thought policing is about dealing with injustice, helping people, protecting life and property.
“Plus, it appealed to me because ‘police’ is a Greek word meaning ‘city’ so I thought, ‘well that’s just a natural fit.’ A Greek Australian fitting into a word and a concept that’s thousands of years old.”
In the end, Supt. Calatzis was accepted into the WA Police, but he never joined. Instead, a friend of his encouraged him to join the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and he became the first Greek Australian commissioned officer in the force.
Supt. Calatzis’ farewell party the day before he left for Canberra.
‘It’s going to be a tough journey for you’:
Supt. Calatzis says holding this title was an honour but as a young 19-year-old who just wanted to fit in at the AFP at the time, it also came with extreme challenges.
“If I’m honest, I was just completely naïve about what the police and its culture was all about. It was bloody hard. Automatically, I hit this wall of indifference and people telling me that even if I passed my course, I would have secondary opportunities,” he explains.
“There was nobody like me that I could relate to… My culture was rigged and I just had to roll with the punches. I knew you couldn’t fight everybody off.”
Supt. Calatzis, pictured here with his daughter Lisa, faced challenges when he first entered the AFP.
This indifference was something Supt. Calatzis’ parents warned him about as well.
“My father was wise enough to actually tell me in his own words… ‘my son, these jobs are just for the Australians. You will not be accepted in the Australian police. This will be a tough journey for you’,” he says.
But despite these warnings and challenges, Supt. Calatzis never gave up.
Standing up for what’s right:
He is currently the North District Superintendent of ACT Policing, the Chairperson of the AFP Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) Network and the most Senior CALD police officer in ACT Policing.
Supt. Calatzis in East Timor on Christmas Day handing out presents to children.Supt. Calatzis working with the United Nations in Mozambique.
He has also been seconded to four regions in Australia – a Royal Commission, Mozambique, East Timor and AFP Commander Christchurch Earthquake.
More recently, he also received the Cross of St Andrew from Archbishop Makarios of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia. This award is the highest accolade in the Greek Orthodox Church and Supt. Calatzis says he is ‘honoured’ to be the first Greek Australian police officer to receive it.
Supt. Calatzis receiving the Cross of St Andrew. (L-R) John Loukadellis, President of the Greek Orthodox Community and Church of Canberra, Supt. Calatzis, Archbishop Makarios of Australia, Acting Sergeant Paul Calatzis, Bishop Bartholomew of Charioupolis and Father Petros Kipouros.
“I’ve had a very credible operational career and I’ve always been drawn to operations and I remain true to myself and be my own man,” Supt. Calatzis, who stresses that he is also a proud Australian, says.
“I’ve challenged bullies in my career, I’ve challenged injustice. I know I’m a mentor of many people. I get great pleasure in seeing people succeed in their careers.
“I haven’t gone with the grain, but I’m not apologetic for that. It’s easy to go as a pack but it takes courage to actually stand up for what’s right.”
Supt. Calatzis on the Keeling Islands.
And right now, what’s right for Supt. Calatzis is to continue breaking barriers for future generations and ensuring the AFP becomes more multicultural and inclusive for all.
“It’s wise for us to reflect multicultural Australia within the AFP, not just talk and just do another ‘Harmony Day.’ There’s more to every culture…” he explains.
“So [the AFP] has changed but there’s still a long way to go.”
Supt. Calatzis is now working to make the AFP more inclusive for all.
Does Supt. Calatzis encourage other young Greeks to become involved then?
“Yes,” he answers confidently, while stressing that his own son and daughter-in-law are in the police force as well.
“Policing, not matter what you do or what you say, is an occupation that requires resilience. It’s not glamorous… You’re no better than anybody else in the community. In fact, you should be humbled that you’re there as the right person to protect and serve them.”
Wise words from a Greek Australian who continues to challenge indifference in the police force.
In some exciting news for fans of acclaimed pastry chef, Anna Polyviou, she announced on Monday that she is opening her first-ever patisserie shop in the old Cornersmith building in Marrickville.
Polyviou opens her new shop. Photo: Facebook / Anna Polyviou.
“It’s forever been a dream of mine to be around such an amazing community. I have already meet so many people today. Stay tuned as we recipe test and develop…”
Speaking with Delicious Australia in October last year, Polyviou said the new patisserie will pump out fresh croissants and bakery treats every morning, as well as a range of spectacular celebration cakes for takeaway.
Anna Polyviou’s spanakopita. Photo: Delicious Magazine / Anna Polyviou Facebook.
“I also want to have a bit of a Greek twist in there as well. I want to be doing my spanakopita, I want to have some of mum’s haloumi cheese too,” the chef said in the magazine interview.
While the new shop is yet to be named, Polyviou said her new pastry creations will be inspired by the locals and she’s encouraged everyone to “stay tuned for taste testing sessions.”
Skorpios, the private island once owned by the late Aristotle Onassis, is set to be transformed into an ‘art island’ by Russian billionaire, Dmitry Rybolovlev.
The island was bought by Rybolovlev recently to transform it into a hyper-luxurious retreat with its own fibre optic network and electric car charging stations, a marina and a heliport.
But now, according to Greece Is, the Rybolovlev family is also planning to move parts of the oligarch’s impressive art collection to the island, turning it into an “art island.”
Skorpios is set to be transformed into an ‘art island’
To make this dream a reality, the construction company, Mykinai S.A., will spend an additional 235 million euros, taking Rybolovlev’s investment in Skorpios to 400 million euros in total.
Rybolovlev is one of the world’s top 10 art collectors, in possession of works by the likes of Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Marc Rothko and Amedeo Modigliani.
During the last forty years a lot has happened. Almost two generations passed. In the meantime, Hellenism of Australia underwent its Anacyclosis (the recycling), as the famous Arkas, historian Polybius, used to say. Greek immigrants arrived as young people, almost children, draining their strength and stamina in factories and in the hunt for a decent wage; they set up their households, gave birth to offspring, they themselves sacrificed their well-being and personal quality of life, in order to offer education to their children.
In the 1970s and 1980s they amassed their properties (according to the penultimate Australian Census, at least two and a half houses are allocated to each Greek household, when the average Australian household does not have a single one- 0.9); they consolidated their families, they built clubs and fraternities, they endowed their children with a good education, and they left their grandchildren with fortunes.
It is true to emphasize that the first generation of immigrants, the agrarian stock and the proletariat of unskilled labourers of the first decades of the post-war period essentially were self-sacrificed. They fell fighting on the altar of hope for a better future for their children. The pioneering Greeks left their ancestral homes, their parents, and siblings to emigrate to Australia, the distant and misunderstood continent at the time.
They said then in the 1950s that in Australia immigrants were eaten by crocodiles and snakes of Far North Queensland, their hands and feet were burned by the sun heat in the vast sugar cane and bananas plantation; they said that in the production lines of factories of this distant land and its smelters the human flesh was just melting; that even the hope for a better future was rotting. They said that whoever departed to settle in Australia, will not return; their emigration was the face of death. It was a living death, a route without tomorrow.
And yet those who dared were eventually saved. Those who immigrated to Australia were eventually rescued from the poverty and misery of post-war Greece. They did not leave their bones in the vast plantations of Queensland, neither in the thankless mines of Western Australia, nor in the factories and foundries of terror. They displayed enormous passion for life and resilience.
The smart ones left Greece, the bold ones, the ones who had “endurance and the grit” in them, those who had a passion and fortitude in them, a load of endurance and vigour. Those who could not capitulate to poverty, scarcity, economic and social condemnation left. Those who wanted to live with dignity, with pride, with nobility of soul, not beggars left in the bosom of their mother that did not have the means to nourish them, to sustain them. Those who left were the superfluous excess, as well as those who have the vision and were inspired to a better life.
In the meantime, the years have flowed. Their children and grandchildren claimed decisively and conquered positions of prestige and influence; they distinguished themselves as professionals, technocrats, politicians, businesspersons, scientists, people of arts, spirits, letters, most of them became teachers.
In the period 1980-2000 the number of students of Greek origin in tertiary institutions, in Australian universities, was the second largest after Asians, and constituted 11.8 % of the total number of students of ethnic background.
The number of teachers of Greek origin in Australia, occupies the second largest percentage after the Italians. According to the latest census, 25% of professionals of Greek origin were teachers. Also, the number of Greeks who have dominated small businesses today is almost the same in percentages as that of the Jews, i.e., 29%.
The Hellenes (Greeks and Cypriots) of Australia conquered Australia socially, economically, politically, and culturally. In Canberra, Australians witnessing the Greek economic wander, conclude: “Canberra was discovered by the British, designed by the Americans, built by the Italians and owned by Greeks…”.
We will try to discuss this course of Hellenism in the socio-economic, cultural and political enhancement; we will attempt to comment on it, to highlight its various manifestations, together with all that it entails in the weeks ahead of us.
From this column, generously offered by the administration of the Greek Herald, we will have our weekly commentary, political, social, cultural, with sincerity and boldness, as I did thirty years ago, when I was still contributing my articles; I come back from my silence, to stand by this struggle for the vindication of the Hellenes, who, during the last seventy years toiled and fought to keep our Greece and its multi-millennium values as an ideology and identity to his children.
*Professor Anastasios M. Tamis taught at Universities in Australia and abroad, was the creator and founding director of the Dardalis Archives of the Hellenic Diaspora and is currently the President of the Australian Institute of Macedonian Studies (AIMS).
By Georgia Pandelios, Accredited Practising Dietitian and Owner at Nutrition Prescription.
Meal planning is a great way to get organised both in your kitchen and in your life. This is especially important for those of you with little time, or a health and weight goal but have difficulty staying on track. Starting any diet or meal plan can get overwhelming, particularly if you haven’t done it before or if you are only just starting to take control of your diet, shopping and meals. Using a meal planner can take a lot of that anxiety away by setting yourself up for a great food week.
I highly recommend using a seven day meal planner. You don’t need anything fancy, you can even make one yourself for each day of the week with a section for each breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack. Alternatively, you can download one for free from www.nutritionprescription.com.au/freebies.
To get started, you will need to first set a regular and regimented shopping day. This should be a day that allows you the time to shop and store (or even prep) your groceries. I recommend aiming for weekly shops.
Georgia recommends a regular and regimented shopping day.
Then you will need to plan out each of your meals and snacks for each day of the week. If you plan to have leftovers, a birthday trapezi, are eating out or yiayia is bringing over her gemista, write it in – you will need to plan around these days. Aim for two to three breakfast options and 4-5 lunch / dinner options.
I highly recommend you make a short list of back up options, in case plans fall through. These should be quick and easy to make, using everyday household staples. For example, strapatsada (or kagiana, as it’s called where I’m from in Greece) is a perfect go to. All you need is extra virgin olive oil, eggs and a can of tinned tomatoes, with a slice or two of toast to serve (optional, add feta).
Once the planning of meals is done, do an inventory check of your fridge, freezer and pantry to make sure you have what you need. Make a shopping list of what is missing.
Lastly, go shopping. If you are time poor or don’t enjoy shopping – use technology to your advantage. Opt for an online shop with click and collect or have your groceries delivered.
If you really want to set yourself up for an easy week, take the extra step and meal prep some of your cooking ingredients and portion out your snacks. This will help you make sure that you follow through on the meal plan you have created.
Nutrition Prescription, founded by leading maternal and foetal health fertility dietitian and nutritionist, Georgia Pandelios, aims to offer nutrition consultations specially designed for the whole family – from infants to adults and elderly, through to highly specialised fertility-pregnancy, paediatric and food reaction services. They can assist with all your nutrition needs, including complex and chronic conditions – in English, Greek or Portuguese.
Disclaimer: The information in this article is generalised and is not intended to replace medical or dietetic advice, nor directly manage any medical conditions. For personalised advice, please speak with your doctor or contact us via info@nutritionprescription.com.au to make an appointment with one of our Dietitians.
The Greek city of Nafplio has been named as one of the ’10 Most Welcoming Cities on Earth for 2022′ by Booking.com.
Nafplio ranked fourth on the list for its “charm and beauty,” as well as its proximity to Athens. It was beaten by the Italian city of Matera in first place, followed by Bled in Slovenia and Taitung City in Taiwan.
In a description of the city, the Booking.com website says Nafplio is “a relatively unknown gem” that everyone should visit.
“Nafplio is a great choice for those looking to avoid the throngs of foreign tourists during the summer months, and offers plenty of stunning architecture and historical sites to explore,” it says on the website.
The international travel platform released its list with the aim of inspiring travellers who seek something truly special for their future travels: from off-the-radar island escapes, historic cities and architectural marvels to pristine mountain getaways.
The list’s 10 destinations have all been selected for consistently providing outstanding hospitality, as evidenced by more than 232 million verified reviews from real Booking.com travellers.
